NZ Women's Rugby: The importance of culture in an organisation

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is under fire over claims is neglected its work culture objectives. A scathing review into the Black Ferns culture and environment found that while player culture is strong, it is not fully aligned with management and there are challenges in the team's high performance environment as the team transitions to a semi-professional model.

The fallout started last year when player Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate used her Twitter platform to reveal that she had suffered a mental breakdown on the team’s northern tour after comments over her eight-year career contributed to her ailing mental health. Not being selected during that tour was her breaking point, she said. The review also found health and wellbeing gaps in the work environment.

After the Twitter post incident, NZR head Chris Lendrum told media: "Respect, inclusion, care and connection are principles that are right at the heart of NZ Rugby, and how we expect our teams to behave and operate. Those expectations are very clear to all players and staff alike.” However, the review team uncovered allegations of favouritism, ghosting and body shaming against coaching staff.

NZR's thin grasp on gender imbalance was further revealed just months later with another Twitter blunder on International Women’s Day. The All-Blacks men’s team ignored their female world-champion counterparts, and posted, “Forever grateful to all the women in our lives that allow us to play the game we love” accompanied by images of male players with females supporting them from the sidelines. Additionally, they overlooked the inclusion of an image of a player who was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend just two years earlier.

NZR has already put their hand up and said, “we know we can do better,” committing to working towards implementing the panel’s 26 recommendations. With a looming world cup, they’re going to have their work cut out for them.

Key themes identified in the review were

1. There are challenges in the Black Ferns 'high performance' environment, as players, Management and systems have transitioned to a semi-professional model
2. The culture amongst the Black Ferns players is strong, but is not fully aligned with management
3. Management structures do not always appropriately support the Black Ferns' culture and environment
4. The player leadership structure is positive but needs refinement
5. Significant communication issues exist between players, coaches & managers (Management), union (NZRPA) and other stakeholders
6. There are health and wellbeing gaps in the environment for players and Management; and
7. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) structures have not sufficiently supported women's high-performance rugby in New Zealand.

CEO of New Zealand rugby players’ association, Rob Nicol shot down Newstalk ZBs Mike Hosking when he asked during an interview on his radio show if elite level players need to be a little less soft and sensitive and harden up.  Nicol said that sport in general has struggled with finding the balance between creating a high-performance culture and producing high-performance.

“That's the art,” said Nicol, “and what you need in order to be able to deliver that is really good strong support systems, really good capability, you need experience, and you need the leadership within the environment that can deliver it. And I think what this review is telling us is we're not in this environment, we need to be better. And that's what the focus has to be."

NZRs intention is to create additional support and fund resources to focus on team culture and leadership, including specific tikanga expertise and introduce new initiatives that focus on wellbeing. They have also committed to stay connected with members of the panel review team to ensure progress continues on the recommendations made.